Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is a significant challenge. We have the challenge of meeting the expectations of citizens with the money availabile from the State to actually meet them, whether it be increased wages, quality public services or infrastructure. The only way we can do this is by looking to make steady and incremental progress in all of these areas concurrently because what we cannot do is make a big leap forward in one area at the expense of progress in others. That is why the Lansdowne Road agreement and other collective wage agreements are so important. They certainty add to our ability to manage the public pay bill. The benefits are both ways. For unions inside collective wage agreements such as the Landowne Road agreement, they confer benefits on their members and those leading the unions in terms of their ability to plan their agendas and raise issues about which they may have concerns such job security. We used the Haddington Road and Croke Park agreements to reach agreement on these matters in what were some very difficult years for the country.

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